Learning a new language can be an exciting and rewarding experience, and Ukrainian is no exception. Whether you’re planning a trip to Ukraine, want to connect with Ukrainian friends and family, or are simply interested in the rich culture and history of the country, mastering some basic phrases will help you navigate everyday interactions with ease. In this article, we’ll cover essential Ukrainian phrases for beginners, breaking them down into various categories to make your learning journey smoother.
Greetings and Basic Expressions
When you start learning a new language, one of the first things you’ll want to master is basic greetings and expressions. These are the building blocks of polite conversation and will help you make a good first impression.
Hello – Привіт (Pryvit)
– This is the most common way to say “hello” in Ukrainian. It’s informal and can be used with friends and family.
Good morning – Доброго ранку (Dobroho ranku)
– Use this phrase to greet someone in the morning hours.
Good afternoon – Добрий день (Dobryi den’)
– This is a more formal greeting that can be used throughout the day.
Good evening – Добрий вечір (Dobryi vechir)
– Use this phrase to greet someone in the evening.
Good night – На добраніч (Na dobranich)
– This is used when you are saying goodbye to someone before going to bed.
Goodbye – До побачення (Do pobachennya)
– A formal way to say goodbye.
See you later – Побачимось (Pobachymos’)
– An informal way to say “see you later.”
Yes – Так (Tak)
No – Ні (Ni)
Please – Будь ласка (Bud’ laska)
Thank you – Дякую (Dyakuyu)
You’re welcome – Будь ласка (Bud’ laska)
– Interestingly, the phrase for “please” and “you’re welcome” is the same in Ukrainian.
Excuse me – Вибачте (Vybachte)
– Use this phrase to get someone’s attention or to apologize.
I’m sorry – Вибачте (Vybachte)
– Similar to “excuse me,” this phrase is used to apologize.
My name is… – Мене звати… (Mene zvaty…)
– Use this to introduce yourself. For example, “Мене звати Джон” (Mene zvaty John) means “My name is John.”
What is your name? – Як вас звати? (Yak vas zvaty?)
– Use this to ask someone their name.
Numbers
Understanding numbers is crucial for various everyday situations, such as shopping, telling time, or asking for directions. Here are the basic numbers in Ukrainian:
1 – один (odyn)
2 – два (dva)
3 – три (try)
4 – чотири (chotyry)
5 – п’ять (p’yat’)
6 – шість (shist’)
7 – сім (sim)
8 – вісім (visim)
9 – дев’ять (dev’yat’)
10 – десять (desyat’)
For numbers 11-19, you generally add “надцять” (nadtsyat’) to the base number:
11 – одинадцять (odynadtsyat’)
12 – дванадцять (dvanadtsyat’)
…
19 – дев’ятнадцять (dev’yatnadtsyat’)
For tens, the pattern changes:
20 – двадцять (dvadtsyat’)
30 – тридцять (trydtsyat’)
40 – сорок (sorok)
50 – п’ятдесят (p’yatdesyat’)
60 – шістдесят (shistdesyat’)
70 – сімдесят (simdesyat’)
80 – вісімдесят (visimdesyat’)
90 – дев’яносто (dev’yanosto)
100 – сто (sto)
Common Phrases for Travel
If you’re planning to visit Ukraine, it’s helpful to know some travel-related phrases to make your journey smoother.
Where is the bathroom? – Де туалет? (De tualet?)
How much does this cost? – Скільки це коштує? (Skil’ky tse koshtuye?)
I need help – Мені потрібна допомога (Meni potribna dopomoha)
Do you speak English? – Ви говорите англійською? (Vy hovoryte anhliys’koyu?)
I don’t understand – Я не розумію (Ya ne rozumiyu)
Can you help me? – Ви можете мені допомогти? (Vy mozhete meni dopomohty?)
I’m lost – Я загубився (Ya zahubyvsya) for males, Я загубилася (Ya zahubylasya) for females
Call the police – Викличте поліцію (Vyklychte politsiyu)
Is there a restaurant nearby? – Чи є поблизу ресторан? (Chy ye poblizu restoran?)
Can I have the menu, please? – Можна меню, будь ласка? (Mozhna menyu, bud’ laska?)
I’d like to order… – Я хотів би замовити… (Ya khotiv by zamovyty…) for males, Я хотіла б замовити… (Ya khotila b zamovyty…) for females
Basic Questions
Asking questions is a fundamental part of any conversation. Here are some basic questions that will help you navigate everyday situations:
Where is…? – Де…? (De…?)
What time is it? – Котра година? (Kotra hodyna?)
How far is it? – Як далеко це? (Yak daleko tse?)
What is this? – Що це? (Shcho tse?)
Why? – Чому? (Chomu?)
How? – Як? (Yak?)
When? – Коли? (Koly?)
Who? – Хто? (Khto?)
Which? – Який? (Yakyy?)
How much? – Скільки? (Skil’ky?)
Directions
Knowing how to ask for and understand directions is crucial when you’re in a new place. Here are some useful phrases:
Left – ліво (livo)
Right – право (pravo)
Straight ahead – прямо (pryamo)
Turn left – поверніть ліворуч (povernit’ livoruch)
Turn right – поверніть праворуч (povernit’ pravoruch)
Go straight – йдіть прямо (ydit’ pryamo)
Near – близько (blyzko)
Far – далеко (daleko)
Next to – поруч з (poruch z)
In front of – перед (pered)
Behind – за (za)
Shopping
Shopping can be a fun experience, but it’s even better when you know some basic phrases to help you along the way:
How much is this? – Скільки це коштує? (Skil’ky tse koshtuye?)
Can I try this on? – Можна приміряти це? (Mozhna prymiryaty tse?)
Do you have this in a different size/color? – У вас є це в іншому розмірі/кольорі? (U vas ye tse v inshomu rozmiri/kol’ori?)
I’ll take it – Я беру це (Ya beru tse)
I would like to buy this – Я хотів би купити це (Ya khotiv by kupyty tse) for males, Я хотіла б купити це (Ya khotila b kupyty tse) for females
Can I pay with a credit card? – Можна заплатити кредитною карткою? (Mozhna zaplatyty kredytnoyu kartkoyu?)
Where is the cashier? – Де каса? (De kasa?)
Do you have any discounts? – У вас є знижки? (U vas ye znyzhky?)
Dining Out
Eating out is one of the best ways to experience a new culture. Here are some phrases that will help you navigate Ukrainian restaurants:
Can I see the menu? – Можна меню? (Mozhna menyu?)
What do you recommend? – Що ви рекомендуєте? (Shcho vy rekomenduyete?)
I’d like to order… – Я хотів би замовити… (Ya khotiv by zamovyty…) for males, Я хотіла б замовити… (Ya khotila b zamovyty…) for females
Can I have the bill, please? – Можна рахунок, будь ласка? (Mozhna rakhunok, bud’ laska?)
Is this dish spicy? – Це блюдо гостре? (Tse blyudo hostre?)
I’m a vegetarian – Я вегетаріанець (Ya vegetariyanets) for males, Я вегетаріанка (Ya vegetarianka) for females
Cheers! – Будьмо! (Bud’mo!)
Emergency Phrases
In case of emergencies, knowing what to say can be crucial. Here are some phrases that could be lifesavers:
Help! – Допоможіть! (Dopomozhit’!)
I need a doctor – Мені потрібен лікар (Meni potriben likar)
Call an ambulance – Викличте швидку допомогу (Vyklychte shvydku dopomohu)
I’m allergic to… – У мене алергія на… (U mene alerhiya na…)
Where is the nearest hospital? – Де найближча лікарня? (De nayblyzhcha likarnya?)
I lost my passport – Я загубив паспорт (Ya zahubyv pasport) for males, Я загубила паспорт (Ya zahubyla pasport) for females
Can you call the police? – Ви можете викликати поліцію? (Vy mozhete vyklykaty politsiyu?)
Conclusion
Learning these essential Ukrainian phrases will give you a strong foundation for basic communication. Remember, practice makes perfect. Try to use these phrases as often as you can, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll become. Ukrainian people are generally very friendly and appreciative when foreigners make an effort to speak their language, so your efforts will not go unnoticed.
Happy learning, and удачі! (udachi!) – good luck!
